An 80-car no-reserve auction is scheduled for January 28, 2027, but published accounts differ on whether the Tucson Auto Museum is closing permanently or relocating. The museum has operated for 15 years.
KGUN 9 reported that the museum plans to close after 15 years and will remain open at its current location through the end of this year. Museum director Otton Suarez described the collection’s departure from Tucson as bittersweet, according to the station.
The station also reported that Suarez has worked with local auctioneers in hopes of keeping some vehicles in Tucson. The lineup includes Cadillacs, Mustangs and a Mercedes, alongside rarer pieces that will anchor the sale.
What's Actually Going Under the Gavel
The auction itself will be run by Kruse Auctions, which has scheduled the sale for January 28, 2027, in person and online at the Tucson Auto Museum, according to Kruse Auctions. The listing describes an offering of 80 cars, all to be sold without reserve to the highest bidder. Headlining the sale are a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS and a largely original 1929 Duesenberg Model J Arlington Sedan, the auction house says.
Beyond the cars, Kruse's listing includes vintage signs, gas pumps and other automobilia from the museum, all to be sold without reserve. The listing identifies auctioneer John Kruse and provides registration and sale details for interested bidders.
What No-Reserve Sales Can—and Can’t—Tell Buyers
As limited market context, Hagerty Media reported that 44% to 47% of online consignments were no-reserve in five months of 2025; in June, the share was 40%. That broad measure describes auction listings, not sale prices, and does not predict results for individual rare cars in Tucson.
A Collection Built Over 15 Years
The Tucson Auto Museum describes itself as a Tucson-founded nonprofit dedicated to preserving and displaying rare and unique classic cars from around the world, according to the museum's own website. It says its collection holds more than 70 vehicles, including a Model T, the 1929 Duesenberg Model J, a one-of-one 1948 Kurtis-Omohundro Comet, a 1957 Dual-Ghia, and cars that appeared on the sets of Mannix, Charlie's Angels and Batman. The cars are housed in a facility of more than 20,000 square feet that also displays vintage signs and gas pumps, the museum notes.
Conflicting Reports on the Museum's Future
Not every account agrees on what happens after the sale. While KGUN 9 frames the January auction as the museum closing its doors after 15 years, Tucson.com has reported that the Tucson Auto Museum is relocating to a new space in the Catalina Foothills and is expected to reopen there in the fall. That outlet identified the new address as 4825 N. Sabino Canyon Road, the former Hidden Valley Inn property, which Gould Family Properties VII LLC purchased for $2.7 million, according to Tucson.com. The new site is expected to add about 4,100 square feet to the museum's footprint, per that report. Tucson Auto Museum's Instagram account lists that same Sabino Canyon Road address along with current visiting hours and a phone number for the public.
A National Pattern of Museum Liquidations
Tucson isn't the only city watching a car museum empty its garage. The Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum in Chicago announced a permanent closure and no-reserve auction of its entire collection, according to Hemmings. That collection numbered around 300 vehicles housed in a 100,000-square-foot building, dwarfing Tucson's inventory, and the public got a final weekend to tour the Chicago museum before its three-day auction and permanent closure.
Kruse Auctions' 56th Annual Auburn Auction and Show drew more than 2,000 bidders from across the U.S. and overseas, with over 85% of consignments selling for a total of $21 million, according to Old Cars Weekly. Those results offer context on the reach of a major auction, but the Tucson museum’s future remains unclear: KGUN 9 reports a closure, while Tucson.com has reported a planned Catalina Foothills reopening.
